First reports this summer of West Nile in humans

Two women in Cook County have been infected with the West Nile virus, the first such reports this year, according to health agencies.

The two woman are both in their 60s and both are still hospitalized, according to Amy Poore, a spokesperson for the Cook County Department of Public Health, One woman, from Rolling Meadows, reported the onset of the illness July 12 and the other, from Des Plaines, first noticed it on July 13.

"We typically don't see human cases until sometime in August," Poore said. "There's been activity much earlier this season. The first positive mosquito pools were in June. In years past it's typical in late July. We do see a greater amount of activity."

Though both of the two victims are located in the northwest suburbs, Poore cautioned that the virus isn’t just located in that geographic region. The agency is finding positive tests through suburban Cook County. "They're everywhere," she said.

The hot, dry weather, breeding weather for the Culex mosquitoes that carry the virus, isn't helping, said Poore, who advises residents to get rid of standing water around the home because water allowed to stagnate for 3-4 days can become a mosquito breeding ground.

According to a press release from the Illinois Department of Public Health, 27 counties have reported positive tests for West Nile this year through July 24. That's the highest total for that date since 31 counties reported positive tests in 2006.

There are 631 reports of positive tests in mosquitoes, the highest total since records started being kept in 2002, Arnold said. The next largest was 550 reported in 2006.

The agency updates numbers on its website weekly, according to Melaney Arnold, a spokesperson for the agency.

Last year, 34 Illinois residents contracted West Nile and three died. In 2002, there were 884 reports of humans contracting the virus, Arnold said, and 67 people died.

People over the age of 50 are at greater risk of contracting the virus, officials said.

The virus is transmitted through the bite of an infected mosquito, said the state agency, which cautions residents to limit their exposure to mosquitoes by avoiding being outside between dusk and dawn when the insects are most active and by keeping the insects from biting by wearing long-sleeved shirts, pants, shoes sock and insect repellant.